Distraught Express readers pay flood of tributes to 'one of a kind Ann'

Express readers have paid tribute to "one of a kind" Ann Widdecombe in a deluge of heartfelt condolences.

The redoubtable former politician was found dead at her beloved Devon home in a "murder" that shocked Britain.

Her death prompted an unprecedented outpouring of compassion as those who hung on her every word as a forthright columnist were moved to send letters and post online tributes.

Summing up the collective sorrow, reader Jason Hawkins said: "I always admired her - she was a true British patriot with a strength and backbone that stood out in a way few others ever have.

"Her straightforward way of speaking even reminded me of my stepnan, which made me feel an unexpected personal connection to her. I'm genuinely saddened by her loss. She was one of a kind, and there's simply no one who could replace her. May she rest in peace."

Fearless Ms Widdecombe, 78, wrote a unapologetically frank weekly column for the Express for two decades which was unmissable for her feisty and insightful take on issues that she, like our readers, cared passionately about and campaigned fearlessly for.

One post on our online book of condolence read: "I never had the privilege of meeting Ann in person, but felt I knew a lot about her through her most insightful column where she stated most eloquently the thoughts, fears and hopes of so many readers. She expressed her forthright, strongly-held beliefs and ideas with conviction and respect. Her sharp wit, wisdom, and sense of humour were precious. She would indeed have made an excellent prime minister."

Another added: "She was so full of infectious constructive effort in her daily life that I always kept a tab on what she was doing next.

"She just gelled with me completely: firm and fair, honest and eloquent, articulate and forceful. Above all, this was a lady with a huge amount of thought for others, her kindness reached everyone who knew her and I marvelled at her energy and love of animals. Ann was a thoroughly decent human being."

Britain recoiled in collective horror at the death of the former Conservative MP and minister turned Brexit Party MEP and Reform UK activist.

A 28-year-old white British man was arrested at an address in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on Saturday night on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody and Ms Widdecombe's family are being kept informed of developments.

He was held in a raid carried out by counter-terrorism officers on behalf of Devon and Cornwall police which said it had received more than 120 potential leads from the public.

Her death sparked fevered speculation but police said there was nothing to suggest it was politically-motivated or terrorism-related and officers continue to keep an open mind.

Detectives are not looking for anyone else in connection with the killing at her bungalow in secluded Haytor on the edge of picturesque Dartmoor.

Ms Widdecombe was found dead after suffering sustained serious injuries at the home she had named Widdecombe's Rest at around 11.40am on Thursday.

Police believe she was attacked at around 12.30pm on Wednesday - nearly 24 hours before her body was discovered.

She had been due to appear on Channel 5 on Wednesday afternoon, but the alarm was raised when she failed to respond to messages. After she was found almost a day later paramedics immediately alerted the police.

Convent educated, Ms Widdecombe was brought up in an Evangelical Anglican family and converted to Roman Catholicism until 1993.

First elected as the Tory MP for Maidstone in 1987 political allies and opponents marvelled at her unshakable sense of right and wrong and the steadfast moral compass that guided her through life.

Political strategist Gawain Towler, who serves on the governing board of Reform UK, said: "She was a constant figure in the imagination of the United Kingdom for decades, a rock on the beach as the tide went out, others eddying around her while she stayed exactly where her conscience had planted her. Governments rose and sank. Fashions in opinion came through like weather. Ann remained, immovable and unbiddable, and the country came to love her for the very quality it had once mocked, which was that she could not be moved."

Ms Widdecombe's unwavering defence of free speech, self determination, and patriotism are credited with being one of the defining factors in Britain voting to leave the European Union in the seismic 2016 referendum.

An improbable second life away from the political cauldron saw her earn a legion of fans after appearances on Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother and in star turns in pantomime, theatre tours, and as a hugely successful novelist.

One online tribute said: "Ann was a personal hero of mine and the best PM we never had. She was gutsy and plain-speaking and lived an admirable life, standing up for decent, old fashioned values. "She was a great politician and also an entertainer."

Another added: "I've always seen Ann Widdecombe as a politician that stood by her beliefs, both popular or not so well received. She showed strength and dedication to serve the people who relied on her. I just felt compelled to add my voice to express my condolences and sympathy to her family."

A fellow mourner said: "Ann was a rare breed. A politician of absolute integrity, honesty and unwavering Christian values. What she stood for was an echo of what Britain used to be: a country proud of its history and its culture. A sovereign nation able to make its own decisions for its people and its future. Many hated her for that, in the same way they hate her admirers and supporters. But did she waver? No. She continued to fight for my country, while others raised their hands in meek surrender. Ann was a force. A force for good. Others must now pick up the baton and continue the fight for the liberties, freedoms and independence that she gave everything for. I will never forget her. I will continue that fight. Rest in peace Widdy."

During an appearance on The Graham Norton Show in 2011 Ms Widdecombe earned rapturous applause after revealing her simple take on life.

She said: "None of us knows how long we will live - I could die tomorrow but I could, if I follow my mother for example, live another three decades.

"I donot know what is going to come up, or what I am going to do during that time, so I maybe remembered neither for politics, nor for Strictly, but for something else that I can't even foresee at the moment.

"We get one go this side of eternity. One go. It is not a dress rehearsal it's one go you make the first of it you take opportunities that come along that you like and you go for it. And that's my philosophy."

A 26-year-old white British national, earlier arrested in nearby Newton Abbot on suspicion of murder, has been released and is no longer part of the police investigation.